Appaeatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W, HARKNESS.

HEE EXTINGUISHING APPABATUS.

Patented Feb. l, 1887.

0 w x ////////A (Ne Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. HARKNESS.

FIRE EXTINGU-ISHING APPABATUS.

No. 356.875. i Patented Feb. 1 1887.

Unirnn %reres VILLIAM HARKNESS,

Perenne OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

FlRE EXTlNGUISHlNG APPARATUS.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 356.875, datec'l February l, 1887.

Application filed May 17, 1886, Serial No. 201368. (Ne model.)

To ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, XVILLIAM Ennnnnss, of the city and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Fire-Extinguishing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. i

In many places-such, for instance, as in dry-goods warehouses-there is considerable risk of daniage to the goods resulting from the use of any fire-extinguishing apparatns where there are pipcs containing water or other fireextinguishing iiquid and valves automatically unsealed by the action of heat, because in all such instances any lenkage froni the pipes or froni the valves may dainage the goods to a very large extent hefore such lcakage is discovered.

The object of niy present inrention is to provide means 'for extingnishing the fire automatically, but to prevent the water passing into the distrihuting-pipes untila fire actually occurs, and, in addition to this, to provide means for indicating whether the apparatus is in Working order, and also to provide for zin alarm being given, so that the premises may be entered and exanined after a fire has occurred, so that injnry to the goods from the flow of water after the fire has heen extinguishcd may be prevented. e

In carrying out any nvention I provide an elevated reservoir containing water or other fire-extingnishing liquid, or any other source of Water-supply under pressure may be used, a system of pipes extending throughout the building to be protected,and autonaticsprinklers with valves that are nnsealed by the action of beat; but the system of pipes in its normal position is empty, and thissystenofpipes is connected to the reservoir or other source of Water-supply, and there is a valve which closes the passage, and this Valve is opened automatically by an electric appliance controlled by an electricthermostat, so that when a. fire occurs and the temperature is abnormally raised the thermostat clcses the electric circnit and causes the valve to be opened that admits water into the system of dry-pipes. The heat of the fire at the same time unseals the automatic sprinklers that are eXposed to its action, and the water rushing through the pipes is discharged upon the fire through the automatic sprinklers that have been unsealed by the action of the hoat.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View illnstrating a portion of a building with my improvements applied therein, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the Valvc and the appliances therewith connected.

The rising pipe A is connected at the respective floors to the system of branch pipes B, passing along the ceilings, and provided with automatic sprinklers D at suitable distances apart and located in the nsnal man ner adapted for fire extingnishing apparatus. These automatic sprinklers are of any desired or convenient construction. Letters Patent No. 3E3,7S,granted to me, illustrateesprinkler that may he made use of. In all cases, however, these spriuklers are constrncted in such a nanner that they will become unsealed or open at a temperature of about l Fahren` heit.

A pipe, E, extends up to the tank or other source of water-supply or fire-extinguishing liqnid under pressure. This pipe E is connected to the pipe A by the valvehox F, and in this box is a valve, G, closing against the pressnre of the water. The valve-stem 2 is screwed into the valve, and there is, by preference, an elaslic face, 3, to the valve where it rests upon the valve-seat. Above the Valvebox is a frame, F', and e is a. dog pivoted at 6 to the frame F', and the end of the dog resls upon a shoulder, 5, in the valvesteni.

7 is a handwvheel at the upper end of the valve-sten, by which the stern cnn he rotated and partially unscrcwed from the valve G, to cause the valve to he prcssed firrnly upon its seat when the dog 4 rcsts upon the shoulder 5.

To the upper end of the dog et a link, S, is connected that extends to the bent lover 9, that is pivoted at 10 upon the frame F', and above the horizontal portion of the bent lever 9 is a vertical rod, 12, and 13 is a weight sliding upon this rod and held up by a latch, 14. The length of the rod 12 and the distance that the Weight 13 Will fall when unlatched are such that the weight, acting upon the bent lever 9 and link 8, will nnlatch the dog 4 and allow the Valve G to open hy the pressure of rco the water; but as an additional precaution I prefer to make use of a collar, 16, fixed upon the valve stern 2, and a sliding collar, 17, below the same, held in a i'ork at the end of a lever, 18, which lover is pivoted at 19 and provided with a weight, 20, and there is also a stirrup, 21, hingcd te the lever 18, and passing at its upper end over the vertical portion of the bent lever 9, and there is astop, 22, on the frame F' that limits the movement of the stirrup 21 toward the bent lever 9, so that when the weight 13 is caused to fall and. trip the bent lever 9 the npper end of said lever 9 swings ont from bcncath the stirrnp 21, and the latter falls, together with the weight 20, and the lever 18 lifts the valve G off its seat, admitting water to flow into the branch pipes B.

The weight 13 has a downward projection at one side, which passes below the end of the lever 9, so as to rest upon the lever 18, and increase the weight that moves said lever 18 and lifts the valve G.

I combine with the dry-pipe system and automatic sprinklers an elect-ric circuit and therinostatic circuit-closers. These thermostatic circuit-closers may be of any desired character-such, for instance, as a bulb of mercury with one of the circuit--wires fastened into the bulb and the other circuit-wire into the thermo'neter tube, or a spring of two metals may be made use of, both of these devices being well known.

I have shown thermostatic circuit-closers at K, and these should be adjacent to each automatic sprinkler. At L is represented a box to contain a battery, and 26 27 are the positive and negative circuit-wires passing to the respective thermostatic circuit-closers. The helix of an electro-magnet, E M, is included in either circuitwire 26 or 27,and this electromagnetis provided with an armature-lever,29, and a hammer, 39, and the circuit, by preference,passes through the back stop of the armature, se that the armature is vibrated as soon as the electric circuit is closed at either of the thermostats,and the hammer 39 strikes against the latch 14, and by the repeated blows unlatches the weight 13, allowing the same to fall and open the valve G, as before described.

It will now be understood that there is not to be any water in the branch pipes B while in their normal position; hen ce damage from leakage is eft'ectually prevented; but whenever a fire occurs the heat causes the thernostat to close the electric circuit, and thereby open the valve to admit water from the pipe E into the pipes A B,and the heat by this time has opened one or more of the automatic sprinklers D, and the water rushes from the pipes B through such automatic spinklers upon the fire.

Itis to be borne in mind that fire-extingnishing apparatus may often remain in a building for many years before its services are required, and during' this time the batte'y may get outof order. I therefore provide asafetyindicator to call attention periodically to the battery. This device may be of suitable construction; but I prefer an. electric bell, 33, within the circuit of the branch wires 26 27, and in the same circuit is a circuit-closing device, such as a switch or push-button, at 34, by acting upon which the bell will be rung if the battery is in order; but it is preferable to conduct the wires 26 27 to the office or count ing-room in the building, and to close the electric circuit by a clock that operates every twenty-fonr hours-say at noon of each dayso that the battery may be kept in working order should it fail to give the signal at the proper time.

If desired, the hammer 39 may be made to strike an alarm-bell, 35. (Shown by dotted line-s in Fig. 2.) After the latch let'has been moved out of the way this alarm-bell 35 will call attention to the apparatus and to the existence of a fire, so that the water may be turned off after the fire has been extinguished.

There may be a pipe passing into the building from the outside, near the sidewalk, and extending up and connected to either the pipe E or the pipe A, as illustrated in my Patent No. :340,210, so that a hose from a fire-engine may be connected to the same. The checkvalve should be provided in such pipe, as set forth in said patent.

The wires 26 and 27 may be conducted to the office or counting-room in the building, and a clock may be used to close the circuit periodically,tl:rough sensitized paper or otherwise, so as to mark the strength and condition of the battery by the intensity of the mark upon the paper, and the battery must be replenished whenever there are indications of weakness.

The mechanism for opening the air-valve may be controlled by an electro-magnet, and any suitable arrangement of circuits and alarm or indicating devices.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the branch pipes and automatic sprinklers, of a water-supply pipe, a valve to the same, and valVe-opening mechanism, an electric circuit, thermostatic cireuit devices, an electro-magnet for controlling the valve opening mechanisn, and a branch circuit from the battery and an automatic indicating device therein for indicating the condition of the battery, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the water-supply pipe, of a series of distribution-pipes and sprinklers, a valve for closing the water-supply pipe, a screw-stem for the valve, the pivoted dog 4, for holding the sten and. valve in place, a Suspended weight,an electric circuit, including a thermostat and magnet, and an armature, hammer, and. latch for suspending the weight, whereby the weight is allowed to fall and disconnect the pivoted dog and turn on, the water-snpply when the thernostat acts in the circuit, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the water-supply and distribution pipes in a fire-extinguishing IIO to close the same, in eomhintton with the dstributionppes and sprinklers, a pivoted dog to hold the valve to its seat, the screwstem with a shoulder thereon for the end of 15 the dog, the link S and level- 9, and a weight to act on the lever and withdrew the dog, e level, 18, and weight to aid in opening the Valve, and a. st'rup, 21, over the end of the lever 9 and aeting to hold up the weight 20 20 suhstantielly as set forth.

Signed by me this 11th (lay of May, A. D. 1886.

W'ILLAM HARKNESS.

VVtnesses:

GEO. T. PINGKNEY, WILLIAM G. MOTT. 

